The Diary of Peeta Mellark
by sharpestlives
Summary: This is the story of the Hunger Games told from the point of view of Peeta. Review please
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

When I wake up, the smell of fresh bread hits me like a wall of concrete. You would think after waking up in the bakery every day of my life, that I wouldn't be as effected by the scent. But, all I can think about is that this may be the last day I open my eyes and see the flour covered floors and smell the sweet bread in the ovens.

I rose from the ratty mattress on the floor of the room I shared with my two brothers. One would get his name put into the games as well, the other was already above the required age. Lucky him. A yawn slipped past my lips as I went out into the store front, still in my bed clothes. There wasn't a need to dirty another set before the reaping began at two. I was just about to go looking for my dad when he walked in the back door, holding a squirrel.

"Courtesy of Gale Hawthorne." He grumbled out in a rather gruff voice and I nodded, feeling a couple butterflies arise in the deepest pit of my stomach.

"And Katniss?" I question, as always, and my father cracks a small smile before replying that she hadn't been with Gale today. Nodding, I realized I should have expected that. She was probably back at her house, preparing for the reaping. It was her younger sister's first reaping... I think her name was Prim or something like that.

That morning, we feasted on fresh bread, which was an amazing contrast to the stale stuff we usually tended to eat. The squirrel pared rather well with the nut and raisin bread we had the privilege to eat.

Usually, we would have worked the shop afterward, but it was forbidden to work in the reaping day. It was to be treated as a holiday, even though we were essentially just sending two of our youngest citizens to their death. Here in District Twelve, our tributes rarely come home to a future of untold riches and prizes beyond their wildest dreams. Our latest one is named Haymitch... and well, he's not the best champion ever. Actually, he's just the town drunk. A highly esteemed drunk who is put on a rather high pedestal because he was smart enough to win the Games.

As the reaping hour came nearer and nearer, my mother drew the curtains shut and ordered everyone to get ready. Not wanting to arrive at the reaping with a black eye, I did just that. The bath I took was rather cold, as we didn't have time to boil the water, but it wasn't something that was odd for me. Cold baths were a normality around my home.

My mother fussed over my older brothers, ignoring me as I pulled on my best clothes. The pants were a charcoal black, similar to the color of dust the miners drag in every evening. The shirt was plain and white, but it still looked rather good. It was required for everyone to wear their best when going to the reaping... after all, if you were going to the Capitol, you want your family's last view of you to be a good one. I finished buttoning the pristine white shirt before toe-ing on the worn black shoes that used to belong to my oldest brother.

Even though I was conscious through it all, the hours before the reaping went by like seconds. Each moment, I felt more fear rising inside of me, wondering if the unthinkable would happen. Wondering if I would be sent in as make tribute. Of course, the odds were in my favor... The Seam boys all had their names put into the Games more than mine. Gale Hawthorne's chances were even higher than mine. So, it wasn't like I had to worry about my name being picked from thousands of slips of paper.

As my mother pushed me out the front door of the bakery, the butterflies in my stomach roused once more and made my palms sweaty with anticipation. The names weren't even being drawn yet, and I still felt the incessant need to puke from the nerves welling inside me.

When I stepped up to the sign in, my breath was as shaky as my hands. I signed my name on the long list of names, before adding my age beside it. The boys and girls were split on different sides of the stage that had been set up in the town square, and then they were split into different corrals by age groups. I went to join the rest of the sixteen-year-old males before the mayor rose to tell the story of Panem and The Hunger Games, just as he does every year.

"It is both a time for repentance and a time for thanks," intones the mayor.

Then he reads the list of the past District Twelve victors. In seventy-four years, we have had exactly two. Only one is still alive. And that's Haymitch Abernathy, who drinks himself nearly to death day after day. He staggers across the stage, hollering something unintelligible, before collapsing into a chair beside the Capitol's escort, Effie Trinket. He tries to give the pale, pink haired woman a hug, which she barely fends off before straitening her spring green suit.

The mayor looks distressed, probably since the entire joke of District Twelve is being televised all around Panem. I'd look distressed if I was in his shoes as well.

Bright and as bubbly as ever, Effie Trinket trots to the podium and gives her signature, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be _ever_ in your favor." Her pink wigs seems to be falling off, but she ignores it as she draws a deep breath before walking over to the crystal orb that contains the names of all the girls in District Twelve. My heart starts pounding harder and harder, and soon I'm scared it will explode from my chest. I'm not fearing for myself, but for the girl I've adored ever since the first day of school. The one with the beautiful chocolate brown braids, wearing her mother's finest blue dress.

"Ladies First!" Effie announces before let her hand fish around in the glass ball. As he hand rises out, gripping a small slip of paper, I feel as if I may be having a heart attack. She crosses back to her podium before unfolding and smoothing out the paper. The silence that filled the town square could have been cut with a knife. She reads out the name in a clear voice... and it's not her. It's her little sister. "Primrose Everdeen." And that's just as bad.

If there had been any chatting before Prim's name was called, it had all silenced, as it usually does when someone as young as her gets chosen. I searched the crowd for Katniss, but when I finally found her, it was too late.

Her voice was strained as she screamed for her sister, and the Peacekeepers held her back. The young blond screamed for her sister in return as another group of Peacekeepers drug her to the stage. She had almost made it before Katniss said something that nearly made my heart break under the pressure.

With a sweep of her arm, she pushes Prim behind her protectively. "I volunteer!" She gasps. "I volunteer as tribute!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

_"I volunteer!" She gasps. "I volunteer as tribute!" _

"Lovely!" Wrong. There's not one thing about this that is lovely. But, Effie continues. "But I believe there's a small matter of introducing the reaping winner and then asking for volunteers, and if one does come forth then we, um..." She trails off, unsure of herself.

"What does it matter?" Asks the Mayor. He's probably feeling a bit of remorse for losing such a fantastic girl. She supplied his beloved strawberries, after all. My pain is different... I'm losing the girl that I never had the guts to speak to. I never told her about the crush I've had on her since she was five... and I'll never get the chance to say good bye. "What does it matter?" The mayor repeats gruffly. "Let her come forward." No... make her go back home... make her stay safe.

"No, Katniss! No! You can't go!" Her little sister, Prim, screams the same things I wish I could say. Katniss just pleads for her to go... until Gale comes to take her away. I wish he would have taken Katniss away instead. I don't want to lose the beautiful girl I've loved since forever.

"Well, bravo!" Effie gushed as Katniss joined her on the platform. "That's the spirit of the Games!" She looked more than pleased with the outcome of that situation. "What's your name?"

"Katniss Everdeen." The girl of my dreams spoke in a not so steady voice. Not even in my worst nightmares, had I seen the horrific things that I was seeing now. And the Games hadn't even started yet.

"I bet my buttons that was your sister. Don't want her to steal all the glory, do we? Come on, everybody! Let's give a big round of applause to our newest tribute." Effie nearly squees in delight before giving a few claps of her own.

Not a single clap is given from our District. This is not something they wanted, it never is. Then, something truly unexpected happens, and I feel compelled to follow suit. Nearly everyone in the crowd, including myself, raises three fingers of their left hands to their lips in a small kiss. Then they hold it out for her. It means thank you... I love you... good-bye. My eyes tear up as I gaze upon the girl who I'll never have the chance to love.

Haymitch chooses this time to stagger across the stage and wrap his arm around my Katniss's shoulders. "Look at her. Look at this one!" She looks like she's about to puke from the harsh smell of the liquor. "I like her! Lots of..." His eyes make it look as if he's searching for the next word to say. "Spunk!" He sounds rather triumphant. It's sickening to me. "More than you!" He lets go of her and starts to the front of the stage. "More than you!" Haymitch growls at the cameras that belong to the Capitol, almost like he's taunting them. But, the poor man loses his balance and topples off the stage. He's toed away on a stretcher, out cold.

"What an exciting day!" Effie says in a voice that hints it's the wrong kind of excitement as she fixes her wig, which has fallen severely to the right. You can tell she's trying hard to get the ball rolling once more while making sure her hair still looks fabulous. It's ridiculous to me. "But more excitement to come! It's time to choose our boy tribute!"

She walks over to the boy's orb, taking small clipped steps to avoid falling in her rather frazzled position. My heart no longer flutters like a butterfly, because nothing could have been worse then what had just happened. She doesn't fish around for a slip, she just picks the first one her hand encounters. She walks back to the podium before unfolding the paper, not bothering to smooth it. "Peeta Mellark!"

At first, it's like I didn't even hear what she said. I glance around, looking for the unlucky fellow that will be joining Katniss on the stage. Then I realize: Peeta Mellark is my name. I struggle to remain emotionless as I just put one foot in front of the other, trying to get up to the stage without looking panicked.

The odds are not in my favor today.

When I reach the stage, standing on the opposite side of the podium as Katniss, Effie asks for volunteers. You could hear a pin drop in the silence that goes through the audience. I have two older brothers, but one isn't illegible to volunteer and the other wouldn't. Most people aren't as devoted to their families as Katniss is. So, the silence is standard in District Twelve. Even hoping for a volunteer is stupid.

The mayor begins his Treaty of Treason speech, but I don't hear more than a few words of it. But, it doesn't really matter, since I've heard it tons of times... ever since I was old enough to comprehend what people were saying. And the story always had the same ending. Don't rise up against the Capitol. Or you'll be obliterated.

Twenty-four tributes. Only one gets out alive. Only one. I know I don't stand a chance out there. Not with the Careers, who were trained from a young age to be lethal killing machines, and not with the fact that Katniss would die looming over my head. Her and I wouldn't ever get the chance to be together, even if she returned my feelings for her. Our fates were now decided for us, at least one of us would die.

And if one of us can live, I can do my best to make sure it's her. I don't think life would be worth living without her anyways. With my mother's abuse, she was always the light in my day. Every time I saw her at school, I'd look at her and say to myself, "Peeta, you're going to marry that beautiful girl someday." And, now that day would never come.

The mayor finishes the dreary Treaty of Treason and motions for Katniss and to shake hands. Hers are slightly clammy, and shake a bit with the nerves running through her. I look right into those beautiful brown eyes and give her hand a slight squeeze, wanting to reassure her that every thing would be alright. We turn back to face the crowd as the anthem of Panem plays. It's like the final curtain call on our old lives, setting us on the path of inevitable death.

From this moment forward, even when we're up against twenty-two other tributes, I will make sure the odds are ever in her favor.

_**(A/N: So... If I get five more reviews by tomorrow, I'll do two more chapters by tomorrow night. I love reviews. They make me a happy writer. May the odds be ever in your favor. - Sharpie)**_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

When the anthem ends, we are taken into custody by the Peacekeepers. They lead us to the Justice Building in a steady, far too proper march. I guess they're trying to over compensate for the other embarrassments we've displayed to then entirity of Panem today. When we finally get inside, the huge doors slam shut behind us. I'm lead away from Katniss into a very... high class room. I plop down on the velet covered bed before staring at the door.

Since it takes them a few minutes to get here, I suspect for a few minutes that my family simply isn't coming. It would be like them to just continue their days like nothing ever happened and I never existed. If my father wasn't around, that's exactly what would have happened.

My father lead in my mother, his face looking grave and far beyond his age. His arms wrap around me in one of the rare hugs that I haven't really received since childhood. I let a few tears run down my cheeks, since I know this is the last time I'd see any of them. Those stopped when my mother smacked me in the arm and told me to toughen up.

With a smile, she looked out of the old, cracked window in my room. "You know... Dictrict Twelve might finally have another victor. She's a fighter, that one is." Her voice showed her awe and delight with the fact that Katniss had been chosen. I knew it was her, since I hadn't missed that my mother specified "she". And with that, Mom left without even giving me a second glance. I was always the son she saw as expendable. I wouldn't be much of a loss to her.

"Son..." My father's voice cracked slightly. "Good luck." The Peacekeepers arrived to lead him away, and send in the next visitor. I didn't think there would be one, but then Delly Cartwright stood in the door apprehensively.

"I'm sorry this happened to you." Delly whispered, and I immediately knew what she was talking about. Delly was the only one that wasn't in my family who knew about my crush on Katniss. I had been confiding in her for years, so she knew the way I probably felt. She knew the pain I would be going through in the games as I fought to keep the one I loved alive.

Suddenly, I found slightly pudgy arms wrapping around my body. Her family was rich, so she could afford to eat the fattening foods than none of us could. "May the odds be ever in your favor, Peeta..." She mumbled before I hugged her back.

"And a Happy Hunger Games to you, too." My voice was slightly sarcastic, but hers had been joking, trying to lighten the mood. There was no hope for the mood, though. It wasn't going to raise from utterly depressing just because of a few jokes.

"Try to make it as far as you can." Delly smiled before pecking my cheek. Her own were burning the brightest of reds, but I just smiled. Her kiss was to say good bye. Because we both knew I had absolutely no chance of coming back. Never again would I walk the streets of District Twelve, or frost one of the cakes in the bakery. And life would move right on without me, as it did every year after a tribute died. It was just the way it had to be.

"Good bye, Delly." I smiled as she left, but her good bye was rushed as the Peacekeepers forced her out the door. And that would be the last time I would see any of my friends. I doubt the other's parents would allow them to join me in the Justice Building. In a few weeks, they would be forced to act like I never existed.

It takes no more than five minutes before we are forced to leave the Justice Building and head to the train station. Katniss looks like shes trying hard not to cry when she sits next to me, but I let my emotions flow. The capitol wants to see the agony and pain in our eyes, and who am I to deny them what they wanted. The car drove us quickly to the station, which was swarming with the camera men.

The cameras attack us with streams of pictures and videos, asking us questions even though they really aren't supposed to. I keep my mouth shut and just walk into the doorway of the train, where we are forced to stand while they gobble up our images once more. Then, the doors seal shut and the train speeds off immediately.

Unused to the speed, it feels like all the blood is rushing to my head at first. I walk over to one of the chairs and drop down into it, not enjoying the feeling of being light headed at all.

I watch as Katniss goes off to her room before exploring the train for myself. I don't go to my room at first, since I want to see all the rooms. The first, which contains a very drunk Haymitch, is a room that has been completely modified to look like a bar. Of course, I think, this is just where one would find our alcoholic life-line.

"She's got spunk." He mumbled, obviously still living the moments we lived hours ago. "Gonna... gonna nap... nap, yeah..." He staggered out of the bar room, but the door slipped shut to the sound of puking. Wincing, I moved on, not ready to face something like that.

The bartender offered me a drink, but I turned down the Capitol worker. I really can't stand any of them. They're perky and bright and they just can't wait to watch us all kill each other in the Hunger Games. They all want blood... and blood they will get.

I walked through the next room only to be greeted by an overly perky Effie Trinket.

"Oh, Peeta, my dear! You should go freshen up, dinner will be served in just a little while." And with that, she pushed me into another room that, apparently, was my room. I huffed before sitting down on the overly expensive bed. I could smell the rose scented powder rise up around me as I sat, nearly gagging me with it's scent.

"Awful." I sigh, speaking my feelings out loud. I couldn't believe this day was real. Leaning back in the bed, the powder was visible as it rose up around me in a rather large cloud. This brought on an attack of coughs and gags before it cleared thanks to the air conditioning system.

After looking at my clothes and realizing they were covered in a massive layer of the scented powder, I stripped down naked before opening one of the many closet doors. Everything seemed to have been made in my size, as impossible as that sounds.

I pulled on a deep red button-up shirt and black dress pants that seemed to look just like my own but... more expensive. If I knew the names of Capitol designers, I could probably find on of their names on the tag in the back. It annoyed me to no end that some people could be so narcissistic and materialistic. Even in the place like the Capitol, it seemed just... unneeded.

"Peeta~ Dinner time~" I heard Effie's voice come in over one of the speaker systems and I sighed before heading back out again. I didn't want to tough through a meal with both drunken Haymitch and uptight Effie Trinket. It was a recipe for disaster.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

I sit down at the supper table just as Katniss is walking into the room, followed by Effie. Katniss slips into the seat beside me and I give her a small smile before Effie starts her nervous chatting in her perky Capitol accent. It's impossible for her to say anything and not sound absolutely thrilled.

"Where's Haymitch?" She questions while fixing her mass of pink curls. They've gotten slightly out of place since she's been walking all around the train. Though, you have to wonder how she even manages to walk at all in the monsterous heels she's always wearing.

"Last time I saw him," I started and felt both pairs of eyes on me. "He said he was going to take a nap."

Effie looks thoroughly relieved and the grin returns to her pale pink lips. They weren't pretty pale, they were an unnatural pale that looked sort of like the medicine my mother forced me to talk when I was sick one time. "Well, it's been an exhausting day." There isn't anyone in the room who would disagree. And we knew that the exhausting days would keep coming from now on, there was no hope left for relaxation.

Only a few awkwardly quiet minutes pass before the first course arrives. The first is a thick carrot soup that is richer than anything I've ever tasted. The moment it hits my tongue, I feel like melting from the flavor. That's followed by a spinach salad with almonds and raspberry vinaigrette. It was light and tasteful addition to the meal.

The main course of lamb and potatoes had just been cleared from the table when Effie piped up once more. "At least, you two have decent manners. The pair last year ate everything with their hands like a couple of savages. It completely upset my digestion."

I nearly lose my entire appetite. That was no way to talk about the dead, even if they had eaten like that. The fact of the matter is that they had probably never eaten a proper meal in their entire life. They had no reason to know manners. I probably would have ended up just like them if I hadn't been fed properly by the stale bread that was always plentiful in the bakery.

I picked at the fruit and cheese that was brought next. It was on a rather large, godlily decorated red platter. At first, I was kind of scared to actually touch it, but I soon got over that fear. I really liked the strawberries, so I ate my fill of those on slices of different cheese. Cheese was something I never really had the chance to eat before, but I found that I wasn't really missing out on much. It was slightly heavy, though some of the flavors were good.

The best part of the meal, by far, was the cake served at the end. It was rich and thick, unlike any sweet I had ever tasted. I only ate a few bites, though, since Katniss's eating habits were making me a little less hungry. She seemed to be making an effort to eat with her hands and lick her fingers at every possible moment. It was rather sickening, but I didn't say anything. I knew she was just doing it to make a point about what Effie had said.

After dinner, the three of us go to another room filled with a rather large television and many plush couches. I sit on one beside Katniss and let Effie take another as we settle down to watch the reapings. I usually just did this out of pure curiosity with my family, but now it would be to see who I was up against.

One by one, we see the other reapings, the names called, the volunteers stepping forward or, more often, not. From two names are drawn at District One, but the young kids look nowhere near concerned. Almost immediately, two volunteers by the names of Glimmer and Marvel step forward. The look of excitement on their faces is truly sickening. That happens for District two, but the two tributes are names Cato and Clove. Three and Four are rather boring. You can tell that the tributes are prepared, but no volunteers step forward.

At District Five, there's a very peculiar looking girl that's chosen as a tribute. I don't catch her name, but her beautiful red hair seems to set her apart from every one. Her eyes seem to hide a knowledge of something that no one else knows, but I figure that's probably exactly what that is.

Before I can make anymore decisions based upon her appearance, the District switches to Six. I loose interest until it reaches Eleven, and then I have to bite on my bottom lip before glancing over at Katniss. She looks deeply disappointed by the sight of the little girl... standing on stage alone... and no one volunteers to take her place. This is what happens more often than not, so I don't feel any sense of surprise.

Then, it displays out district. I don't particularly feel like reliving the past, so I rise from the couch and stand beside the window, looking out of it. The land around us is flat, much like a wasteland. Thinking about it, that's probably exactly what that is. It's the reason why no one can escape the districts, they wouldn't survive off of the arid land that surrounds most of them. And there was no where to hide from the Captiol's soldiers.

I'm pulled back to the conversation when the tv shuts off and Effie speaks again. She always tries to break silences... though she creates more than she fixes. "Your mentor has a lot to lean about presentation. A lot about televised behavior."

I can't help but to laugh as she speaks like we could actually expect a good presentation from Haymitch. "He was drunk. He's drunk every year." I point out before plopping back down on the couch.

"Every day." Katniss adds before a cute smirk comes to life on her lips.

"Yes." Effie's voice now sounded more like a hiss that came from a snake. "How off you two find it amusing. You know your mentor is your lifeline to the world in these Games. The one who advises you, lines up your sponsors, and dictates the presentation of any gifts. Haymitch can well be the difference between your life and your death!" She finishes in a huffy voice as the man in question staggered into the room.

His voice was a slur as he began to speak. "I miss supper?" Then puke spews from his mouth, all over the rather expensive looking carpet. And, of course, he finds a way to fall into the mess.

"So laugh away!" Effie said in a half hysterical voice as she literally hopped out of the room before shutting the doors behind her. Thinking about what she said, I sigh, knowing exactly what this means we should probably do.

The stench of the raw spirits and bile is just reaching my nose when Haymitch looks up at us, his face smeared with vomit. "I tripped?"

Putting on my brave face, I start over to him, Katniss following behind me slightly. "Let's get you back to your room. Clean you up a bit." With the help of my fellow tribute, we half drag, half carry our mentor back to his room. All the while, I remind myself that he is our life line in the games. He is the only one that can help me keep her alive. And I need him.

_**(A/N: Hey guys! Would have had this up last night, but my computer decided to eat it while I was writing it, so I had to start over. I hope you like it, please leave me reviews and I'll try to get up another chapter before I go to bed tonight. Love you, Sharpie.)**_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

When we get Haymitch into the tub, I turn back to Katniss. It wouldn't be right for her to see him indecent, since she's a lady. "It's okay," I say to her. "I'll take it from here."

She looks a little apprehensive, but still grateful when I turn back to Haymitch. I was just taking his shirt off, having to peel the slick material off of his wet body, when she replied. "All right. I can send in one of the Capitol people to help you."

I feel a slight pang of anger when she suggested that one of them can help me. The Capitol people anger me in the first place, but having to hear one of them complain about Haymitch would just be far too much for me to handle on top of our disoriented mentor. "No. I don't want them." Out of the corner of my eye, I can see her nod once before leaving me alone with him.

Haymitch starts mumbling under his voice as I get the rest off the rest of his clothes, tossing them into the corner, creating a wet pile there. I wasn't really paying attention to him until I realized he was talking about the Games. Getting to water. Avoiding the Cornicopia. Staying just far enough away from the Careers that the Gamemakers won't try to force us together. And avoid making alliances.

As I washed the puke from his body and hair, he kept mumbling little bits of information. Some was about the Games, others were about the interviews, training, and just random things that didn't really make sense. Most of the training and Games stuff was fairly obvious, but some of it would probably come in handy.

He was becoming more incoherent when I finally got him out of the tub and dressed. I tucked him into bed and he was out like a light before I could even get one of the Capitol workers to come get his messy clothes. I didn't really know what to do with them, and I supposed their help was needed just this one time. An Avox retrieved them just as I was leaving the room, but I was careful to make sure he didn't wake Haymitch.

When I make my way back to my bedroom, I don't see Katniss, but Effie tells me she's already gone to bed. It's a pity, since I would have liked to talk with her. Shrugging it off, I go to take my own shower, and what I discover surprises me. Not only does the train still have hot water after Haymitch just had a shower, my shower can be changed to smell like a particular scent with just a push of a button!

I tested a couple of ones before settling on a calming chamomile and rose scent. The water came out a slightly pink color, but that didn't really bother me considering it felt more than amazing against my skin. I never knew just taking a shower could feel good. Then again, if you wanted to bathe in District Twelve, you had to boil the water and do it in a large metal tub. This was like... rain, but warmer and a fair amount heavier. I start to wonder if Katniss had showered yet, and think about waking her. But, then I figure that she probably wouldn't enjoy being woken up if she had just gotten to sleep.

When I finish showering, I pull on a pair of black pajamas that are made of a light, smooth material. I assume it was silk or something similar since they looked slightly glossy. I'd ask Effie in the morning, if I remembered.

I laid down on the overly luxurious bed and wondered why the Capitol even cared enough to let us use nice things like this. They just wanted to put on a good show of twenty-three children from the districts being murdered brutally on screen. They wanted a nice performance out of us, but that wasn't something they had to spoil us to get. No matter what we wanted, they would be getting their show. It was the Gamemaker's jobs to make sure that plan went without interruption.

I rolled onto my side, pulling the blankets over my so they'd cocoon me in. Sighing, I shove my face into the plush pillow beneath my head. As Effie would say, we have a big big day tomorrow. And I really wish I could just melt away for that day, since it would probably be the day of the big parade and the first time I'm put in the hands of psychotic person with a pair of scissors who was prepared to make me either look extremely sexy or extremely stupid.

I never thought I would fall asleep, but I did all too soon. Before I knew it, it was morning again and the light was peeking in from between the curtains over my rather large window. If I thought it would do any good, I'd try to jump out of it. But, at speeds of two hundred miles per hour, I'd end up as dead as I would be in the Games. If I went on to the Games, at least I would still be there to help Katniss stay safe and win. The window wouldn't help me accomplish that in any way, shape, or form.

So, I ended up pulling myself out of bed and going into the bathroom. I looked in the bright, shiny mirror that had probably never seen a bit of coal dust in it's whole existence. The person it showed had my face, and my key features, but I had never looked this clean or healthy. I looked like I finally had a proper shower and proper meal, as out escort would probably say. And she was right, that was exactly how I looked. Not that it mattered... they were probably spoiling us so that we would look prettier and healthier for their televising of the games.

I jump when I hear a little fist pounding on my door, followed by Effie's all to perky Capitol accent. "Up, up, up! It's going to be a big, big, big day!" I wondered if the Capitol citizens repeated words multiple times just to be annoying, but then I remember they probably aren't smart enough to realize what they do annoys the rest of us. They're also too self absorbed to even care.

I pull on a clean pair of clothes, which turns out to be a pair of gray dress pants and a deep purple dress shirt. I wondered if the Capitol people saw this as every day attire, since I only wore things even close to this on special occasions such as holidays or the reapings. Anyone who saw me dressing like this back at Twelve would have gotten me stared at and probably put into a mental institution. You know, if my family could afford the pricy institutions that the Captiol ran. I figured they probably wouldn't have been able to even if I was mad as a hatter. Which, I'm not, no matter what anyone else says. I'm just as normal as they are.


	6. AUTHOR'S NOTE

Okay, guys, this is just one big author's note.

I'm really sorry this hasn't been updated, and I figure I should tell you why.

Before school ended, my Hunger Games book was stolen and I can't really update without it. I'm striving for accuracy, and I really can't get that without my book.

BUT! Don't despair, I have it on hold at the library, so I will finish it soon, pinky swear.


End file.
